The present disclosure relates to a display operating device configured to operate the display of a 3D object and an image forming apparatus with the display operating device.
An object displayed in three dimensions is called a 3D object. It is convenient if the 3D object can be displayed in a way that allows the user to rotate it in any direction.
In order to rotate the 3D object in an arbitrary direction, the user needs to designate the direction and angle of rotation of the 3D object.
One method for designating the direction and angle of rotation is a GUI (graphical user interface). With the use of the GUI, both of a button for designating the direction of rotation and a button for designating the angle of rotation need to be displayed, which narrows the display area for the 3D object.
Another method for designating the direction and angle of rotation is a touch gesture. However, if a one-finger or two-finger touch gesture is used as an operation for rotating the 3D object in any direction, the operation may conflict with another touch operation. Specifically, an operation using a one-finger touch gesture may conflict with, for example, a drag (move) operation. An operation using a two-finger touch gesture may conflict with, for example, a pinch (enlarge/reduce) operation.
Some techniques are proposed which enable an operation for rotating a 3D object in any direction using a one-finger touch gesture without conflicting with other operations. For example, a touch panel device in which a first designating region capable of instructing an operation for rotating an object displayed, a second designating region capable of instructing an operation for translating the object, and a third designating region capable of instructing an operation for enlarging or reducing the object are previously set on a touch panel is known. This touch panel device is configured so that when the user first touches the first designating region and, with its touch operation kept effective, successively moves a touch position, the object can be displayed with the rotation according to the direction and amount of the movement of the touch position.